Can a high power laser melt a prism?

[cgardhar]

If we pass a really high power laser through a prism, is it possible that the prism melts down.

 

[NobodySpecial]

Yes - if the percentage of the light absorbed is enough to heat the glass to it's melting point then it will melt

 

[Dr Lots-o'watts]

If the glass has defects, whether factory-made or "home-made" (...), it can overheat. When using high-powered lasers on a daily basis as we do, we have to wipe off the dust of all optics before turning on the beam, so it doesn't age prematurely.

www.gentec-eo.com

 

[skeptic2]

Several decades ago (even before Reagan's star wars program) there was a proposal to shoot down incoming missiles with lasers from a satellite. Scientific American evaluated that proposal and showed that it could be easily defeated. The lasers would have to be guided by a movable mirror and if the missile was nearly as reflective as the mirror, the mirror would always be destroyed before the missile.

 

[benmww]

how does one make a missile more reflective than 'a mirror'? whose sole purpose is to be reflective?

 

[russ_watters]

how does one make a missile more reflective than 'a mirror'? whose sole purpose is to be reflective?

Put mirrors on the missile.